When we look at a photo what do we see? Smiling people; happy faces; good times.

Take a closer look and sometimes that smile isn’t so happy.

When I first saw this photo it seemed like any other light hearted snap.

But as my grandfather stands between his two friends, neither smile is convincing.

I later discovered that this photo was taken at a sanatorium for TB in the 1930’s and my grandfather was a patient.

Sometime later he would die of the disease.

Now I can’t help but look at photos in a different way, longing for happiness but looking for the pain.